Tiny starfighters

[Verderer]

Trying my hand at painting Studio Bergström not-SW starfighters. The bases are temporary, I don't think pink is the way to go...but the silicon ones are handy when you paint them. I am still thinking which bases to use and how many fighters per base. Four looks about right?





I must say those xwings look pretty horrid and lumpy in the pic, in real life they aren't really that bad. The paint job seems a bit blotchy as well, have some room for improvement there.

[Michka]

I think they look lovely. The thing about Studio Bergstrom is they look very crude close up, but from a playing distance they look great. Especially when you have lots and lots of them on the board all at once. I've run a number of classic Battlestar Galactica games at conventions and every time I do someone wants to know where the figures come from. You've done a fine job on such small ships, and once they're on their proper bases they'll practically sing for you. 

[mpennock]

I've run a number of classic Battlestar Galactica games at conventions and every time I do someone wants to know where the figures come from.

True enough, but you must admit that your base star model adds a bit of spectacle to the table.

[manic _miner]

 Nice little ship's.I have never seen them before.

[kalamadea]

They look great, considering the scale! I keep looking at those and wanting to pick them up, but I have no use for them. Your models are making me dangerously tempted to pick up even more models I'll never use, just because they're cool!

Besides, cameras are generally not kind to paintjobs, they ALWAYS look worse in photos. Because it's a static picture and it's much larger than the actual figure would be you can really see all the parts you messed up on. Most artists are their own worst critics, they look at their work and only see where they messed up and should improve, everyone else only sees how great it came out. The camera also tends to capture the true image, I've had a number of models that looked great indoors but you take them outside in the sunlight instead of the nice soft lighting most people use in their homes and they look horrendous, and my camera always captures that unfortunately.

[No Such Agency]

Hmm, if you like these pieces, they probably should be ordered sooner rather than later.  I'm having a hard time thinking of any major sci-fi franchises this company is NOT barely skirting the IP from.

[Verderer]

Thanks people, I think I can improve on these a bit by simply doing the wash in an earlier stage, just after first coat of base colour, so it is a bit more muted and works better as defining shape, rather than obscuring it. A bit like outlining technique. Now I just have to figure out how best to paint the markings, my hands were a bit shaky when I painted these because I had just been showeling a megaton of snow out of my yard...

About potential licence issues mentioned by NSA, this company and others (like Odyssey Slipways whose stuff I am using for the capital ships) have been around for a good while now.

I remember reading some place that Lucas isn't too aggressive in pursuing small scale (in the sense of small production runs and business) fan products like these, they seem to let people do this stuff kinda freely? Dunno know if it true though? Sounds unusual for corporate lawyers, but it does help to keep the 'flame' of the franchise alive among fans, I guess? I guess the situation would be different, if somebody actually held a licence to produce similar stuf in order to make money? But nobody does. So the situation is completely different from, for example GW ripoffs.

[Golgotha]

I take it larger vessels would not be to scale with said fighters?

[kalamadea]

Star Wars ships and fighters vary so immensely that it would be EXCEEDINGLY difficult to remain in-scale. A Star Destroyer in scale with these fighters would be a few feet long.

[Verderer]

Yep, I will use 1:10000 for anything as big orbigger than the Corellian gunship (whatever OS makes), and these starfighters, shuttles & the 'Century Eagle' are 1:2256 or something? So they're much too large in comparison, but I think they don't look completely out of place, and the sizes are manageable for tabletop gaming and painting. Availability was another factor as well.

[6milPhil]

Star Wars ships and fighters vary so immensely that it would be EXCEEDINGLY difficult to remain in-scale. A Star Destroyer in scale with these fighters would be a few feet long.

I know Crouchie got into these with a chum and found someone Stateside who made an Imperial Cruiser which was close to scale for these. About a metre and a half long and with an interior with enough room to put fibre optics thoughout so it would be lit.

About $2k I recall, as a kit, but bit of a centre piece.

[Conquistador]

<snip>

About $2k I recall, as a kit, but bit of a centre piece.

I am obviously not hardcore enough for this group!    

 

Gracias,

Glenn

[Verderer]

At that price, I don't think too many people around here would be, certainly not me...

[Derek H]

I am still thinking which bases to use and how many fighters per base. Four looks about right?

If you look at the films you'll see that the X-Wings usually fly around in groups of three (a classic V Vic) while the bad guys usually use groups of four. 

[The_Beast]

I am obviously not hardcore enough for this group!    

Likewise, I'm sure. However, Sci Fi Supply used to run games with MicroMachine star fighters, and their destroyer was over two metres long. Of course, it was mostly covered with their Wild Walls. T'was a beautiful sight at Gen Con.

Still think one could do one in insulation foam and not kill yourself.

They also did a 25mm O.G.R.E., before SJG got around to making the Macrotures... ;->=

Doug